First Daffodils 2009 (partial)

We Have Moved Our Blog

2009-02-01T13:12:00.007-05:00

We have moved!

Please visit us and bookmark our new location on the daffodilfestivals.com website (a resource listing of Daffodil Festivals and Gardens) - here is our new blog address for First Daffodils 2009:

http://www.daffodilfestivals.com/firstdaffodils

Irish Daffodils are Smiling

2009-02-01T12:28:00.002-05:00

First sign of spring, originally uploaded by piasosua.

We wrote to the photographer piasosua to inquire about this beautiful image taken on January 28, 2009: The photo was taken in Ireland, in a very quiet rural place in the midlands, after a night of severe frost. These daffodils are part of a long row of them which runs along the whole front of an old house. They are all of them yellow.

Spring is coming in Correze, France

2009-02-01T10:13:00.002-05:00

Spring is coming ........, originally uploaded by Arnac19.

We have daffodils coming up in France! The photographer Arnac19 tells us: They are currently poking through the edge of my rockery bed next to our driveway in Arnac-Pompadour, Correze, France. The garden is still a work in progress, but I was desperate for a bit of cheery spring colour. I planted them in November 2007 and they had their first flowering last spring, but not until March time. They are very early this year, but still have a long way to go until flowering.

I'm sorry I can't tell you what their name is - I just brought a bag of mixed from our local Supermarket when they were on promo, dug a hole, dropped the lot in, and kept my fingers crossed for a colourful display. I was not disappointed.

This photo was taken on January 26, 2009.

Sunny and Warm in Northern California

2009-01-28T20:11:00.004-05:00

P1240101, originally uploaded by bondgurl.

Photographer bondgurl posts this photo of daffodils in bloom already in Northern California. She logs these comments with the image posted to Flickr: Emilie's Denali Training Hike at Mount Diablo State Park starting from the Regency Drive Gate in Clayton CA. 10 miles 3000+ feet elevation gain. January 24, 2009.

bondgurl sends us these additional comments: I don't know much about daffodils, but it has been a very warm sunny January here in California so it doesn't surprise me that flowers feel like blooming. Apparently these daffodils are possibly a remnant of an old cabin site that burned down several years ago.

Of extra special interest: bondgurl describes the Donner Canyon Road hike in her photoblog Rambling. Spend some time with the blog, and you'll be moving to the San Francisco area just to hike the trail of Mount Diablo State Park.

The insiders are starting to bloom in Seattle, Washington

2009-01-28T13:11:00.004-05:00

first bloom, originally uploaded by Lecia/A Day That Is Dessert.

We wrote to the photographer Lecia /A Day That is Dessert to ask about this graceful daffodil: The photo was taken in my home in Seattle, WA. I have a pot of bulbs I bought from Hearthsong; this is the first of the bulbs to start to bloom.

This photo was taken on January 25, 2009

Great Creations in Norwood, North Carolina

2009-01-28T12:18:00.004-05:00

...and when it's all over - tah dah!, originally uploaded by jackiesmith60.

This seasonal image by photographer jackiesmith60 was taken on January 20, 2009. Here is what Jackie shares with us about the photo and daffodils: What I can share about it is - it was taken in Norwood, NC and we had just had our first little snow of about 4 inches. We hadn't had snow since 2004 so what a delight to see some. Anyway, it only lasted the one day and as I was out and about snapping away as the snow was melting I found this little patch of daffodils poking their little heads out!! Really surprised me cause I hadn't seen them earlier. I was pleased to see 2 reminders of our creators makings in one day!

Daffodils are out in Tracy, California

2009-01-28T11:55:00.003-05:00

26/365 • Daffodil, originally uploaded by seiji66.

This photograph was taken in Northern California on January 25, 2009. The photographer seiji66 writes this comment on the flickr post: Photographed this morning - being from the east coast, I still can't get over how something so beautiful can bloom in January out here in California.

Here is more information from seiji66: This photo was taken this morning in Tracy, CA. I've lost track if it is blooming late or early - I just transplanted them last summer from another spot in the yard (was getting too much sun.). Although we're pretty much in a drought this year, the daffodils don't appear to be suffering.

Money's Worth in Sheffield, UK

2009-01-28T09:56:00.005-05:00

Spring is coming!, originally uploaded by ann creasey.

This January 17, 2009 photo was taken by photographer ann creasey, who comments on the flickr post: Bought these daffodil bulbs half price five years ago. They have been beautiful every year since.

Here's additional detail from Ann: It was taken on one of our allotments in Sheffield UK. We have had the plot since Sept 2003 and the bulbs are planted in one side of an old green house we found on the site when clearing the weeds. We just rebuilt the brick work and use it as raised beds.

We bought a sack of bulbs half price at the very end of the season in 03 and they have faithfully produced masses of flowers every spring since. I will take more pictures as the spring goes on. They were up before Christmas this year, I am sure this is early even for them. The bed, being raised, is warmer than the surrounding soil.

New Shoots in Baildon, England

2009-01-28T09:49:00.002-05:00

Spring is springing, originally uploaded by Sarah and Mike ...probably.

This elegant photo was taken on January 25, 2009. The photographers Sarah and Mike...probably wrote this on the flickr post: The spring flowers are starting to show in our garden. Daffodils are Mike's favourite, and these ones are well on their way.

Here is more detail, definitely from Sarah and Mike...probably: The daffodils are in our garden. I took the picture this afternoon (25 Jan) in Baildon, which is a town near Bradford in the north of England.

I don't know how long they've been planted, but these ones are under a fir tree next to the road. There are quite a few others with them.

Cold Daffodils in Carrboro, North Carolina

2009-01-28T09:42:00.002-05:00

IMG_7309.JPG, originally uploaded by TEB471959.

We're always intrigued by photos of snow and daffodils. Here is what photographer TEB471959 has to say about this January 21, 2009 photo: In Carrboro, North Carolina, a snow-less winter is not unusual, but last Tuesday, January 20th, we awoke to find about an inch (2.5 cm) on the ground. The daffodils took it in stride. I expect they will bloom toward the second half of February, along with the hellobores and the Siberian squill. The snowdrops are already in bloom. The tulips will be just a bit later. Spring is the best for gardening in North Carolina. The summers can get pretty hot, and sometimes pretty dry. We had a drought in 2007, as did most of the southeast, because no tropical storms came up the coast. Carrboro is near Chapel Hill, around the center on the state, in the "Research Triangle" area.

Almost Daffodils in Beaverton, Oregon

2009-01-28T09:32:00.002-05:00

Daffodils - almost, originally uploaded by one beach.

We love the composition of this photo (picture in a picture). The photographer one beach tells us about this January 24, 2009 photo: The photo of my daffodils was taken in my backyard, in Beaverton, Oregon. I planted over 100 about 6 years ago, but the squirrels and moles liked them a lot, so I only get a few blooms anymore.

Back Porch Daffodils in El Cerrito, California

2009-01-28T09:28:00.002-05:00

01/21 Flores, originally uploaded by didgeridoo.

Photographer didgeridoo. tells us about this January 21, 2009 photo: The pic was taken on my back porch in El Cerrito (next door to Berkeley), California. Umm, not much to say. I planted them late October. They are the first I've grown so we'll see how it goes!

Vêm aí os narcisos - Here come the daffodils in Guarda, Portugal

2009-01-28T09:17:00.003-05:00

Vêm aí os narcisos - Here come the daffodils, originally uploaded by beny_alliot.

This January 20, 2009 photo was posted by photographer beny_alliot, with the comment: Os narcisos estão a brotar atravez da neve The daffodils are coming through the snow. This is from my own garden in Guarda - Portugal.

We wrote to beny_alliot for additional information: Hello, Normally daffodils open around March . I am french but I live in the highest city in Portugal (1040m). I have one planted inside the house though and it will open much sooner.

Our first daffodils in Portugal!

New Daffodils in Mount Vernon, Washington

2009-01-28T09:02:00.005-05:00

daffodils, originally uploaded by Jessamyn T.

This January 16, 2009 photo originally appeared on Jessamyn's garden blog, Jessamyn's Garde n. Jessamyn tells us: The photo was taken in my small urban garden in Mount Vernon, WA, with a macro lens, and the daffodils appear to be some King Alfred type, but I'm not sure of the variety because they came with the house. They're very tall and sturdy when they bloom.

Green Shoots and Tag in Melbourn, England

2009-01-28T08:28:00.005-05:00

Green Shoots, originally uploaded by innpictime.

The photographer innpictime took this photo on January 11, 2009. He added the following comment to the flickr post: Wild daffodil shoots appearing. Spring is in sight! (I was going to title this "The Baroness Woz 'Ere" but then thought that was a little unfair! Green shoots news story.)

Innpictime added the following details for us: The photo was taken at the bottom of my back garden in Melbourn, 10 miles south of Cambridge, England.

Off topic, but we have to share this with you --> Innpictime was tagged in the Flickr 16 questions tag game, his Flickr post is a must see, including the comments and photos. Photos were masterfully composed and processed in the darkroom by his mother. We can see he has the photography gene in this comment on a photo taken at Broadstairs 1962: My father took this with my Brownie box camera (you'll recognise that low angle as he held it against his stomach [I must get it out again - I've still got it!]). Mother, at this time, was using an Ilford Advocate, a camera that she loved. It had a white body which made it very stylish and inconspicuous as a camera when most were black (there is one in the Science Museum). I remember it had a heavy body but was very nice to handle. She moved on to an old Leica...

Child's First Daffodils in Bad Soden am Taunus, Germany

2009-01-27T21:24:00.002-05:00

Is it spring yet?, originally uploaded by mutti2leif.

We wrote to the photographer, Cathy, to ask about the pair of photos posted from Germany: The first one was taken January 9, the morning after my husband brought them home for my son and me. It's that point in the winter where you just have to be sure that spring is really on the way. My son, who is 3.5 years old, checked them religiously every day to see the flowers appear. We even measured them to make sure that they had grown.., he didn't believe me that they were growing.

[continued next photo]

Child's First Daffodils in Germany, continued

2009-01-27T21:21:00.004-05:00

Same pot, different day, originally uploaded by mutti2leif.

Cathy, the photographer, continues this story of her son's first daffodils: On the evening of January 13, he watered the plant and, I must admit that I was quite amazed to see blooms the next morning. The pic was taken up against my window to the backyard which was white with one of the only snowfalls that has stayed all winter.

Both pics were taken in my home in Bad Soden am Taunus, Germany.

I'll keep my eyes open for more daffodils this spring!

水仙 From the Ground Up on Chinese New Year

2009-01-26T10:14:00.004-05:00

水仙, originally uploaded by Black Angel ❤.

Here is a bulb's eye view of the daffodils on Chinese New Year's day. Image was taken by Yalin on January 26, 2009. See the two next posts for more on these daffodils.

Yalin has also sent us these links to a gallery on Picasa (found via a Google search). Photos were posted on January 24, 2009, by photographer Rosa:
picasaweb.google.com/rosacmail/06Rosa#
picasaweb.google.com/rosacmail/07Rosa#

水仙 CNY Daffodils

2009-01-26T09:57:00.005-05:00

水仙, originally uploaded by Black Angel ❤.

Photographer Yalin has posted a new photo of her daffodils taken today on January 26, 2009 - Chinese New Year (see below post for the original photo and description). We wrote to hear a little bit more about the tale of the daffodil in Chinese tradition:

There are two tales. I try to translate them for you.

ONE:
In Chinese tale, the daffodils are the avatar of infant EHuang & NvYing. It is said that Emperor Yao have two daughters who are named Ehuang and NvYing. Both Ehuang and NvYing married to the same husband emperor Shun. When the shun die, the Ehuang and NvYing suicide beside the Xiang river for the love. Then their fetches became the daffodils.
TWO:
In the Jiangzhou city of Fujian province, there is a village is called CaiBan It is a countrywoman who is very kind came across a beggar who hardly died of hungry. But no one knew the beggar is a god. The countrywoman picked him back to her room. And then serve him a bowl of rice. The beggar spit the rice from his mouth suddenly. And the rice became the daffodils.

I am sorry for I can’t translate well. I think you will understand clearlier now. LOL~

Happy Chinese New Year, The Year of the Ox

2009-01-26T00:11:00.017-05:00

daffodil, originally uploaded by Black Angel ❤ ....

We recently learned that the daffodil is a traditional part of the celebration of the Chinese New Year. When we saw the above photograph, taken with a mobile phone in Canton on January 25, 2009, we wrote to the photographer Yalin to ask about the daffodil in China. Yalin, who is a law student, explains in splendid scholarly detail:

Happy Chinese new year . I am pleasure to answer your question.

Yes. Daffodil is an important flower in Chinese New Year tradition. Er… I think every family would like to buy it during that time. That is for the flower means lucky, elegance, beauty… It’s Chinese name is “ fairy in the water” for there is a tale. The tale says infant died for love beside the river. After that, she became the flower.

Daffodil is not from a garden nursery or a store. Following is the introduce,
1. We buy the daffodil root. And then put it into the basin which is full of water. In order to make the flower erect, we will put some stone into the basin.
Pic: botu.bokee.com/photodata/2007-1-4/000/533/764/5317702/5317702_l.jpg
www1.sekst.edu.hk/subject/pta/photo/ptan4.jpg

Hey, do you now have a question why don’t grow it in the earth? LOL… There is two reasons:
One is for it will be more beautiful when grow in the water. Think, we would like to put it in our living room.
The other is it will be grow fast when grow it in the water. Of course, we have to make sure it can live in the warm circumstance.
If you want to grow it in the earth, you must make sure the earth is humid.

2. After about one month. Of course it depends on the circumstances. It can be abloom.
Pic: dl.zhishi.sina.com.cn/upload/94/20/84/1215942084.8154285.jpg
farm1.static.flickr.com/4/5958633_90a64a805b.jpg

I know the daffodil is from Middle Eur., Med and north Africa. And it have some mutation in CHN. There is the two kinds of this flower:
Single leaves: imgsrc.baidu.com/baike/pic/item/a992e31f7d65f41c304e15cc.jpg
Multiplex leaves: imgsrc.baidu.com/baike/pic/item/08b68e52df1190130cf3e3f6.jpg

I am sorry for my poor English. And I am not the major. So ...I hope that will not make you confused and the information can help you.

Yalin, we understand your English perfectly and admire your attention to detail. We give you an A+ on this daffodil essay! Happy New Year to all.

Memory and Rebirth in Homewood, Alabama

2009-01-25T11:06:00.008-05:00

Not too far away..., originally uploaded by Wren's Nest Cottage.

We wrote to the photographer, Cindy, to ask if we could post this January 23 2009 photo on our blog, and to find out the story behind the daffodils and the berries in the photo. Read on, for a timeless tale of connection and rebirth.

Thank you for asking, because these are such special daffodils!

25 years ago, my parents sold the house and land that were my childhood home near Birmingham, Alabama. They had built the house right after WWII, on land that been given to them by my mother's father. At the time the place was sold, I was a young twentysomething, busy with my life and my first apartment. I deeply loved the old home place, but didn't think as much about leaving some things behind as I did in later years.

When I bought my own house (Wren's Nest Cottage, Homewood, Alabama) in 1997, it really made me begin to think about what I had taken for granted about my old home. I remembered the drystone walls my father built, and my mother's lovely flowers and shrubs. So...a few years back, my sisters and I went back to the old place. The house had tumbled down, and the lawns and the hill behind the house had been completely reclaimed by the forest. Our goal was to secure some stones from the old walls to use in our gardens, but we found something else, equally wonderful - Mama's daffodils were blooming thick amongst the undergrowth. We dug up a bucketful, wondering if they'd survive being transplanted while in bloom. As you can see, they are thriving! And the red berries are from my mother's nandina bush. My sister pulled up a wee one almost as an afterthought while we were gathering the daffodil bulbs. It is now waist high and gives us many baby nandinas every year. And yes, we did get lots of lovely old stones for our gardens as well.

So please feel free to use my photo - I'm grateful to you for asking. It gave me a tear and a smile to remember. My parents have both passed on, but I have much love and beauty from their lives to fondly recall.

Birthday Daffodils in Bristol, UK

2009-01-24T20:58:00.004-05:00

Daffodils, originally uploaded by toni_thorne.

We asked photographer Toni Thorne about these daffodils and this highly artistic photo. Says Toni: The photo was taken on January the 17th 2009 at my home in Bristol UK. The Daffodils are bulbs I planted last spring, which have re-shooted this year. The shoots first appeared at the end of December which I was really surprised about. They are growing in a window box on my tiny little balcony at the top of a 3 story block of flats. The balcony is South East facing, so I guess all the daytime sunshine has encouraged them along.

Daffodils are one of my favourite plants, my birthday is in the Spring and the first daffodils of the year really do make me feel positive about becoming another year older.

Early Daffodil in Doncaster, England (in a pot)

2009-01-24T20:43:00.005-05:00

Early Daffodil, originally uploaded by Theresa Elvin.

This daffodil in the north of England appears to have a jump on spring. Well, as photographer Theresa Elvin explains: Daffodils do not usually bloom here until March, but this little flower was grown in a pot in a greenhouse, so it has arrived earlier.

This cheerful image was taken on January 18, 2009.

First Daffodil in Spartanburg, South Carolina

2009-01-24T19:33:00.004-05:00

First Daffodil! 1.24.09, originally uploaded by Bill's_Eye_View.

This beauty was taken on January 24, 2009, by photographer William Smith. Here's what Bill has to say about the image: This is the first of what will be many later on. The daffodils come up in my backyard every year. They grow close to the edge of the woods. They were not planted by anyone. They may have been in a load of fill dirt, or squirrels may have stashed the bulbs there while storing food for the winter, like they do pecans and acorns.

Last week we had 3" of snow, and temps. in the teens. Today I walk out in my backyard and see this. Nature sure can be amazing!

Daffodil Bulb

2009-01-24T00:00:00.005-05:00

Daffodil Bulb, originally uploaded by Vicky Tate.

Photographer Vicky Tate sends us information about this lush January 15, 2009 photo: This photo was taken in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in the middle of a a very cold week. I bought some bulbs to brighten up a window sill and remind me of spring.

Vicky also says this about planning for future seasons: If you keep watering the plants until flowers fade and the leaves wither, the bulbs can be planted in a sunny spot in your garden to bloom again next spring.

Early in San Jose, California

2009-01-23T23:42:00.008-05:00

Just a few warm days is all that's needed, originally uploaded by JanH.
This image was taken in San Jose on January 12, 2009. Jan makes the following comment on her flickr page for this photo (and notes that they usually come up in February): I found these poking up in my front garden this morning-- daffodils! It's been a pretty cold winter so far, so I was surprised to see these! The past few days have been quite warm, so I think they're making a premature appearance.

Early Daffodils in Astoria, Oregon

2009-01-19T00:05:00.007-05:00

Advent 365 - January 13, originally uploaded by Danger Amy.

Rose moved the pot from the window to the table. She didn’t want the little ones to get too much sun, and the exercise did them good. She looked at the shoots, one was opening early. If she was lucky, though, it could be saved. Coaxed back to sleep, if only for a week or so.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

The photographer DangerAmy tells us about this photo: The photo was taken in Astoria, Oregon on January 13th. It is in my coworker's office.

The words are not mine, they are my friend Harlequinade's, in Copenhagen, for a writing and photography project we are doing.

Here is Harelequinade's link: 365.litranaut.com

It takes a village in London

2009-01-18T23:56:00.005-05:00

springing, originally uploaded by shimmer2.

The photographer shimmer2 writes to tell us about this image: The photo was taken in a garden in Thames Ditton, a village on the edge of the Green Belt upstream from London, and these are early flowering narcissi.

This photo was taken on January 13, 2009.

New and Cute in Birmingham, Alabama

2009-01-18T02:33:00.007-05:00

Spring is coming..., originally uploaded by blathanna.

Photographer blathanna tells us: These daffodils were planted in November in Birmingham, Alabama. They are either Fortissimo or Gigantic Star, from Brent & Becky's Bulbs (www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com).

This image was taken on January 9, 2009.

First Shoots in Eyemouth, Scotland

2009-01-18T01:57:00.009-05:00

First Shoots, originally uploaded by Gail Smith.

Artist and poet and photographer Gail Smith sends us these details and thoughts: The bulbs are in the back garden of my father's house which is in a small fishing town called Eyemouth on the south-east coast of Scotland. The soil looks a bit sandy, doesn't it? The photo was taken for the theme of 'New Beginnings'. The daffodil bulbs had lain on the top of the earth for a while following my digging the garden last summer! I replanted them some weeks ago. When I saw the green shoots appear I was fascinated by how something that had appeared 'dead' wasn't. It's amazing how they push up their green shoots through the dark earth.

This photo was taken on January 6, 2009.

Inside Looking Out in Standish, Maine

2009-01-18T01:45:00.003-05:00

Daffodil, originally uploaded by sleepy pickle.

Another nice winter-spring composition from someone with a really cool brother. This photo was taken on January 5, 2009.

Photographer sleepy pickle sends along this note: I visited your blog, and I was amazed to see how many people have daffodils outside already! I live in Standish, Maine, so I am extremely jealous of anyone that has live plants outside this time of year.

As a garden junkie myself, I've been trying to pretend that it's not winter. My brother bought me these little potted daffodils to help get me through until my bulbs come up outside in the spring.

First Daffodils in Lawrenceville, Georgia

2009-01-18T01:38:00.005-05:00

Jan 5th Daffodils , originally uploaded by griegatlanta.

More daffodils in the southern U.S. with the autumn leaves still looking pretty "fresh" on the ground. This image was taken on January 5, 2009.

Photographer Greg Wehr in Lawrenceville, Georgia tells us: The bed of daffodils is in my front yard and gets the majority portion of the daily sun. The daffodils are your normal yellow trumpet.

Spring is bustin' out in Columbus, Georgia

2009-01-12T21:31:00.006-05:00

Daffodil, originally uploaded by Jonathan Payne.

Another January 10 daffodil photo from Columbus, Georgia! We wrote to photographer Jonathan Payne to get the story about these perfect blossoms: Columbus is located in Georgia, about 2 hours south of Atlanta on the western border. It is still early for daffodils, but we've had a quite a bit of warm weather recently which prompted this early showing. To be honest, this is the first one I've seen this year and it just happened to be growing in my yard, poking through an Azalea.

It was an overcast day on Jan 10th and the yellow was standing out sharply to the dull brown background. I grabbed a polarizer, just to see if I could get it to stand out a little more, and grabbed 4 or 5 shots. This was my favorite.

Staffordshire study in gold and white

2009-01-12T11:27:00.006-05:00

it's cold outside, originally uploaded by pouletsue.

This radiant photograph was taken on January 5, 2009. We asked the photographer pouletsue for details: "It's cold outside" was taken looking out of my kitchen window in Staffordshire England. I bought a pot of Tete a Tete narcissi in the supermarket to cheer me up during a cold, frosty, and foggy post Christmas spell!

First Daffodils in Columbus, Georgia

2009-01-12T00:27:00.003-05:00

1st daffodils of the year !, originally uploaded by ericdege.

More early, early daffodils, this time in bloom and in Georgia. We wrote to the photographer ericdege for details: The photo was taken at about 10:30 in the morning on 10 January 2009 in Columbus, Georgia and are in my neighbor's front yard.. it was interesting (well, to me anyway) that I'd been talking daffodils with a friend just a few days previously and in looking through my photos from last year, had noted that I took my first daffodil photo on 7 February ..so, I thought I had a few more weeks to wait and seeing them that morning was quite a surprise.

First Daffodils in Great Falls, Virginia

2009-01-11T22:35:00.002-05:00

Early daffodils, originally uploaded by larryhuffman.

Looks like they grow them healthy, good-lookin', and very early in Virginia, judging by this January 4, 2009 photo. We wrote to the photographer Larry Huffman to ask for details: Yep they're in Great Falls, Va. I don't know the variety, but I get them from White Flower Farm in CT, here is the product page (http://bit.ly/rcdO). These are bred for the south apparently. I actually saw some of them coming up in late November, they are on a southern slope and whenever the ground warms up I get some that pop up. I get blooms in early to mid-March and they usually last into late May but the heat kills them pretty quick. I leave the leaves up until late June even though they flop over; I've read that's when they take up nutrients for the following year.

I'm adding a hundred or so every other year to the woods behind my house. I'll post some pics later this year when they come it.

Pretty in pots

2009-01-06T15:42:00.006-05:00

Thinking of spring, originally uploaded by Culinary Fool.

We wondered if this photograph really was taken in snowy Seattle on January 4. The photographer Culinary Fool explains: Yes I just took the photo today. But they are not outside but bulbs in pots. ;-)

We think her flickr post is all we need to know about this winter season in Seattle: Close your eyes and dream of spring. No that is not more snow falling outside. No it is not!

Jumpin' Daffodils in Monticello, Arkansas

2009-01-06T15:14:00.007-05:00

Stand Back, originally uploaded by Jim-AR.

Here's what Jim-AR says on his flickr post aptly titled Stand Back: It's only the fourth day of January and my daffodils are jumping out of the ground.... Been a mighty mild winter in southern Arkansas so far... Cross your fingers....

Jim sent us this additional information: The photo was taken this morning (01/04/09) from one of my daffy beds in my back yard in Monticello, AR (southeastern part of State).. Links to other early photos of daffodils that I made over the past two years are given below:
www.flickr.com/photos/jim-ar/2184689701/

... and here is Jim's daffodil photostream on flickr.

First daffodils in Yeovil, Somerset UK

2009-01-05T12:30:00.003-05:00

Wordsworth woz 'ere..., originally uploaded by elb_the_prof.

We love the story behind this photograph by elb_the_prof, taken January 4 in Yeovil, Somerset UK: I couldn't believe my eyes when I spotted these VERY early daffodils this afternoon... So gobsmacked was I that I had to turn the car round so I could come back and take a quick snap.

The professor adds: I'm not a horticulturalist, so have no information about these daffodils other than the fact that even here in the UK, it's far too early for them!

Spring is coming on the Northern California coast

2009-01-05T12:18:00.003-05:00

Spring is coming!, originally uploaded by sarah northern california.

We love the rustic composition of this image. Here's what the photographer sarah northern california says about this January 3 photo: I just found these daffodils. They are on the back porch which I guess I haven't used in the daytime in a while. I bought a barrel of cheap bulbs (150) and stuck them everywhere last year.

Daffodil Bulb

2009-01-03T16:05:00.004-05:00

Daffodil Bulb, originally uploaded by imayle.

This photo was taken on November 28, 2008. How beautiful is that? Curious what exactly a bulb is, we looked it up The Great Plant Escape (thanks, University of Illinois Extension Urban Programs Resource Network).

The photographer imayle tells us: It was taken in Columbia, SC in early december when I was potting up some daffodils that I picked up from walmart... I thought it looked so neat up close, so I took a picture of it. :) I got the variety pack, so I'm not sure exactly which specific type it is.

New Year's daffodils on the northern California coast

2009-01-03T09:47:00.009-05:00

Daffodil at Point Bonita, originally uploaded by Jeremy Yost.

We can't resist photos with daffodils and water. These new daffodils live just north of San Francisco in Golden Gate National Recreation Area across from the Golden Gate Bridge.

Says the photographer, Jeremy Yost: The photo was taken on New Year's Day. At Point Bonita overlooking Point Bonita Cove at Marin Headlands.

First Daffodils in Dallas

2009-01-02T23:36:00.005-05:00

rebirth?, originally uploaded by jypsygen.

Who would ever guess that daffodils and bricks make for such a cool composition? We love the light on the bricks, and the intimacy of the daffodils and the middle brick.

The photographer Jen R tells us: Yes, this is our yard; We just blew the mounds of fallen leaves off, and there they were. The flowers here always seem to think a little too early on that it's time to come up, which isn't strange considering the day after Christmas, Dallas hit a record high of 83. We don't know how long these guys will last, though, since no one can predict the weather in Dallas: "If you don't like the weather, just wait a couple of hours." Barring any potential cold snaps, they should do well, since they are on the south side. Let's hope they make it, so I might have a better photo to offer for your unique blog!

This photograph was taken on January 2, 2009.

Robin and his friend Daffodil

2008-12-30T10:00:00.007-05:00

Robin 1, originally uploaded by mumpenny.

This December 27, 2008 photo has spring written all over it in West Somerset, England. The photographer, mumpenny, has sent us this information:

The robin patrols our garden which is 400' above sea level on the warm red sandy soils of West Somerset, England, in the Vale of Taunton between the Quantock hills and Exmoor, right next to the West Somerset Railway. That day, where the sun had not touched it the frost still held; but the shelter of the south facing bank made it pleasant enough to sit in the sun on an upturned bucket, camera in one hand and trowel in the other, uncovering the early daffodil shoots - and tempting titbits for the robin.

Early daffodils in Sussex, England

2008-12-27T19:26:00.005-05:00

Early daffodils, originally uploaded by GeorgieR.

Early, early, early daffodils.

The photographer, George Redgrave, comments on the Flickr page: Daffodils out on Boxing Day! (No trains are running in Britain today - this railway is no exception.)

George tells us the railway is a miniature one in Goff's Park, Crawley, Sussex (a summertime park railroad). He has added a map tag here.

Christmas daffodil in the Netherlands

2008-12-25T12:08:00.009-05:00

in our garden / in onze tuin, originally uploaded by friedkampes.

The photographer, Fried Kampes, comments on this lovely and unusual photo: A christmas narcissus? Or is it just a scout for next spring? // 'n Kerstnarcis? of is het gewoon een verkenner voor de komende lente?

We wrote to Fried to ask if it this was a common sight at Christmas time, and Fried replies: I know it IS here , in the Netherlands, very uncommon for daffodils to bloom in this time of the year. That's why I was so surprised to see it this morning.

Chillin' in Washington State

2008-12-22T23:32:00.008-05:00

I guess this will chill the daffodil bulbs, originally uploaded by PittiSing
This wintry scene was captured by PittiSing on December 21 in Washington.

PittiSing writes: "The photo is in Sammamish, Washington. And yes, feel free to look at the images when the daffs come up. I planted well over 100 pink ones and I hope they make it!"

Daffodils coming up - in England

2008-12-21T18:30:00.010-05:00

Daffies!, originally uploaded by Rosie 55
We wrote to Rosie for permission to post this photo, and her reply: "Yes, that would be fine, though you will have to come back in a few weeks to see the flowers!"

And we will...

Rosie answered our question about the photograph with this detailed information:

These are in our front garden, which is at the Southern end of the County of Gloucestershire - about twenty miles North of the city of Bristol. That makes this area a little warmer than much of the UK. And they are shoots of either King Alfreds or white narcissi - which were interplanted by a previus owner. Here is a picture of daffodils in flower in the same position last year - flickr.com/photos/rosie55/2331873684/ which was taken on 9 March 2008.

December Spring

2008-12-18T09:47:00.010-05:00

december spring, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

We're using the photographer's title of this December 17 photo because it is a perfect title. Mirona says this about the photo:

The photo is taken in our living room in London, yesterday. The daffodils have an amazing fragrance, which I believed until now that was only characteristic to white varieties. Both types of flowers were bought last Sunday at the Farmer's Market on Moxon Street, London (Marylebone).

Mirona has a quote on her flickr page, and it happily applies to her photography: I'm here to live out loud (Emile Zola).

Update: We wondered what is in the red bowl. Here's the answer from Mirona:

There is a floating purple candle in the red bowl, shaped like a snowflake. An early Christmas pressie :) from Habitat (London). It looks great but it doesn't burn so well... Here you can see it better:

farm4.static.flickr.com/3238/3118370476_8887673456_b.jpg

Christmas daffodils in Japan

2008-12-07T21:11:00.004-05:00

From my yard..., originally uploaded by Pine57.

We wrote to Pine 57 in central Japan, asking about this wonderful seasonal photo taken on December 7. Here is the reply:

Thank you for noticing my super early daffodil photo. I've been noticing that this variety starts to bloom around Christmas-New Year in my backyard. December 7 is earlier than usual. The winter is mild in this region with snow only once every 7 years or so. Yesterday morning it was -0.5 C here, which is unusually cold for this area, so this winter may be the one for snow. I live in the central part of Japan, in Shizuoka Prefecture. My other daffodils will definitely bloom in spring, as they should.

In addition, we learned about two daffodil festivals in Japan, one beginning in a few weeks, and one likely in February. We'll post that information at daffodilfestivals.com. Thanks for all this super information, Pine 57!

Netherland daffodils

2008-12-05T10:28:00.006-05:00

Is it too early to start talking about spring coming, especially since we haven't officially started winter?

This photo was taken by missgien, from her balcony in Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Oh Really? in Marin County (California)

2008-12-03T11:18:00.005-05:00

daffodils, originally uploaded by quince flower.

Just wondering: are daffodils ever out of season in California? We're not sure what the deal is here, and are trying to find out.

Update on December 4, 2008: We just spoke with someone at the Marin County Cooperative Extension and have learned that many naturalized daffodils do, in fact, bloom in the fall in the San Francisco area. Summer is too hot for daffodils. But autumn, these days, feels a lot like spring and the daffodils agree.

This photo was taken on December 2, 2008 by quince flower.

Planting daffodils in Morningside Park

2008-12-02T11:47:00.004-05:00

October seems a long time ago.

Daffodils and Wordsworth for Holiday Cheer

2008-11-24T12:11:00.002-05:00

I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud. Now that this blog is "officially open", we'd like to call attention to our Daffodils note cube, which is sold on Amazon.com. Our love for the Wordsworth poem and our need for a pretty desk notepad led us to design and print the note cube pictured just to the right of this post. Here is our website, which has direct links to our product pages on Amazon.com. These note cubes sell and ship directly from Amazon. You may enjoy this note cube for many reasons. Here's one: it's a great way to memorize the Wordsworth poem, since it is written in its entirety on the note cube. It's an excellent stress reliever when you're on hold with the cable company.

If you do order the Daffodils note cube, we'd love to hear your comments here and also in the comments area of its Amazon page. Thanks!

Planting Daffodils

2008-11-24T12:04:00.002-05:00

This just in from Sharon Howell in Tennessee. This blog is officially "open" for 2009!

Dear I Spring:
It's November 23 here in Tennessee and I have finished planting hundreds more daffodils around our house and in our woods. You may love these glorious flowers more than I do, but I doubt it! Seriously, aren't they just too beautiful for words, though Wordsworth certainly captured their essence. When we left our house in the Boston suburbs and the about 60 daffs in the front flower bed, I was determined to have many more down here, as many as I could plant. Each year I've added more and more, and now cannot wait until Spring!
Keep going with your project. The photos add so much cheer to your viewers.
All the best to you,
Sharon Howell

Looking towards First Daffodils 2009

2008-05-16T04:15:00.004-04:00

Thanks for visiting the First Daffodils blog in 2008. A special thanks, also, to all of the photographers who permitted us to use their daffodil photographs on these pages. Most of all, a round of applause to the daffodils around the world, "who" gave us so much joy as we watched spring arrive.

Now that the daffodils in the Northern Hemisphere have had their time in the sun (and the snow), we'll have to find other occupations to fill our time until the daffodils come out next spring.

We will post some additional photos from 2008 sometime this summer. Then we'll take a break until January 2o09. Thanks again for stopping by, and see you next year.

In Love With Daffodils in Litchfield, Connecticut

2008-05-13T00:15:00.001-04:00

Day Dreaming photo used with permission, courtesy of tmalinski

The spectacular daffodil images just keep on coming. We contacted the photographer, Tom Malinski of the Canton Camera Club, curious about the story behind this photo, and here is what he reports:

This image was taken at the Laurel Ridge Foundation in Litchfield, Connecticut - better known as the Daffodil fields in Northfield. My wife and I visit this place with many of our camera club friends every year. Depending on the weather, the scenic fields with the pond in the background can have many different moods. This photo of a couple sitting in the middle of the flowers holding hands and daydreaming was very touching.

This image was taken on May 4, 2008.

Lochmaddy daffodils

2008-05-12T10:08:00.005-04:00

Lochmaddy daffodils photo used with permission, courtesy of scotproof

Another beautiful "daffodils and water" photo from Scotland, courtesy of scotproof. This pretty image was taken on May 2 at Lochmaddy (in Scottish Gaelic, "Loch of the dogs") in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland.

Daffodils at Butchart Gardens, British Columbia

2008-05-10T16:45:00.004-04:00

photo used with permission, courtesy of Mike Organ

We've just discovered more beautiful gardens, Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. This image was taken on April 27, 2008.

Lake District daffodils - not at night

2008-05-10T15:31:00.007-04:00

spring photo used with permission, courtesy of (not a) token gesture

We really like this photo, which looks like it was taken at night. It was actually taken at 10 AM o 2003. It's in Wordsworth territory, in the Lake District, in Grasmere. We have had only one Lake District photo this year, so we vote to include this one.

Daffodils Window in Zurich, Switzerland

2008-05-09T21:40:00.005-04:00

open to daffodils photo used with permission, courtesy of maryam momeni

Very nice! This is one of the most artistic Daffodil Windows we've seen in 2008. The stunning architecture is enhanced by the daffodils arrangement, and we can't take our eyes off this photograph.

Photo taken by photographer maryam momeni on April 6, 2008 in Zurich, Switzerland.

Early Daffodils in Lincolnshire, England

2008-05-09T21:18:00.005-04:00

Springtime photo used with permission, courtesy of daveblyth1

Pretty daffodils image taken April 19, 2008. Lots of pretty English countryside in daveblyth1's photostream here.

Daffodils and Manor House in Warwick, UK

2008-05-09T20:41:00.000-04:00

Baddesley Clinton photo used with permission, courtesy of Nala Rewop

Photographer Nala Rewop has posted this Baddesley Clinton photo which seems bathed in an historic light. As he notes, "This atmospheric house dates from the 15th century and has changed little since 1634."

We've always wanted to live in a moated manor house.

Image taken on March 30, 2008. The daffodils add a springtime radiance to the composition, which is why we think this photo positively "rocks" (or should we say, "moats").

Spring River at the Chicago Botanic Garden

2008-05-08T19:37:00.009-04:00

Spring River photo used with permission, courtesy of slipgrove (Dr. Julia Targ)

Here is another sweet, beautiful image of Chicago Botanic Garden daffodils, taken on May 2, 2008 by Dr. Julia Targ.

Click here for information about the Chicago Botanic Garden, and if you are into daffodils, start planning your visit there in April 2009, when the American Daffodil Society holds its annual convention hosted by the Chicago Botanic Garden.

For some of the best botanic garden photos we've seen, check out Dr. Julia Targ's flickr photostream of the Chicago Botanic Garden in Spring 2008.

Last snow photo for 2008

2008-05-07T00:22:00.005-04:00

Snowman photo used with permission, courtesy of Fe em Brasil.
This snowman lived just outside the town of Watford in the South of England, until the sun came out one day. Thanks to Fe em Brasil for an imaginative shot.

The image was taken on April 6, 2008.

Pretty Daffodils in Glasgow, Scotland

2008-05-05T22:51:00.012-04:00

daf odils photo used with permission, courtesy of emmar

Now we know what "pretty as a picture" means. This very pretty image was taken on April 20, 2008, in Queen's Park, Glasgow, Scotland.

For a high resolution image, click here.

Daffodils on Laidlehope Burn, Scotland

2008-05-05T00:00:00.049-04:00

Laidlehope Burn photo used with permission, courtesy of cessna152towser

Daffodils in wild country always get our attention. We love brooks and daffodils, and we totally love this photograph. The photographer, cessna152towser, tells us the photo was taken in Scotland within a few miles of the English border.

Question: is it "not wild" if it is a man-made earthwork, even if it dates back to 1860? Click here for more history about Laidlehope Burn.

We exchanged emails about the wild daffodils, and cessna152tower has this to add: "There are quite a lot of daffodils along the road verges in this area but I wonder how many are truly wild - along the old country roads, bulbs were often planted by farmers and on modern roads they are often planted as part of the landscaping works."

This image was taken on April 30, 2008.

Daffodils in Lincolnshire, UK

2008-05-03T23:32:00.015-04:00

Daffodils photo used with permission, courtesy of Aleeka Salaam

This dreamy photo was taken by Aleeka Salaam on March 29, 2008, at Belton House in Lincolnshire, UK. Belton House is a National Trust building with expansive park grounds.

This photograph, with its painting-like texture, would be very much at home in a national art museum. A shout-out to Vanessa Ho for the texture, says Aleeka.

Black, White, and Yellow in Kew Gardens, London

2008-05-03T00:45:00.004-04:00

., originally uploaded by mariae baltica.

Not much yellow in this photo except in our imaginations. Good enough! This supports the idea that black and white photographs can be quite compelling even in Springtime. Image taken at Kew Gardens in London on April 17, 2008.

First Daffodils and Birch at Chicago Botanic Garden

2008-05-02T13:18:00.006-04:00

Passage through Birch, originally uploaded by slipgrove.
Photo credit: Dr. Julia Targ

This photograph is one of many beautiful images taken this season at the Chicago Botanic Garden by Dr. Julia Targ. We love the combination of "new" birch and daffodils, grey and yellow. Photo was taken on April 25, 2008.

Daffodils and Forsythia in Twin Lakes, Connecticut

2008-05-02T12:57:00.003-04:00

April 29th, 2008 - 89:366, originally uploaded by allisonac.

We love the wild look of this photo, with a bit of organizing provided by the rock border. We agree with the photographer, allisonac, that this is a stunning image. Photo was taken on April 29, 2008, near Twin Lakes, Connecticut.

Daffodils in Yaletown, Vancouver

2008-04-30T23:37:00.007-04:00

give her the nod, originally uploaded by leftantler.
We love this Vancouver photo. It is artistically a home run, combining daffodils and an urban landscape into an image as pleasing as daffodil meadows and daffodil hills. Image taken on April 17, 2008, in George Wainborn Park.

Daffodil and Butterfly in Waverly, Ohio

2008-04-30T18:54:00.002-04:00

Butterfly In Camo, originally uploaded by glenda.suebee.

This delightful image was taken on April 19, 2008, in the photographer's garden in Waverly, Ohio. The camo is pretty cool.

Pretty Daffodils in Aberdeen, Scotland

2008-04-30T00:01:00.001-04:00

Long and winding road, originally uploaded by swishphotos.

We admire this photo taken in Aberdeen, Scotland, on April 29, 2008. Lucky lawnmower.

Snowy Daffodils in Burnaby Mountain Park, BC

2008-04-28T22:39:00.003-04:00

Fence, Road and Tree, originally uploaded by justb.

We always say this is likely our last snowy daffodils photo of the season. This wintry and lovely image was taken in Burnaby Mountain Park, BC, on April 19, 2008.

Back to the Daffodil Future -- er Past

2008-04-28T22:04:00.004-04:00

daffodils from the air, originally uploaded by artistgal.

We came upon this nifty April 18, 2002 photo of Skagit Valley "from the air", and even though it is not a 2008 image, we'll share it here. It probably looks pretty much the same this year (smile).

They Look Pretty in White in Dublin, Ireland

2008-04-27T20:35:00.004-04:00

We don't tend to post "just daffodils" here, because there are so many beautiful photos published of "just daffodils". We prefer a landscape and other interesting things going on in the photograph. Sometimes we make an exception when a photograph is too breathtaking to leave out. Steve-h took this beauty on April 13, 2008, in Bushy Park, Dublin, Ireland.

Must-watch Daffodils at The New York Botanical Garden

2008-04-27T10:41:00.006-04:00

Thumbnail image from video. Click here to watch.

We chanced upon two treasures just now:
1. A gifted writer, artist, and garden blogger called The Occasional Gardener, full of lush energy and imagery, a treasure trove of art and imagination woven into our modern experience. This is a blog we'll want to return to again and again. In fact, we're going to grab the RSS feed to bring the blog onto our desktop.
2. A video of the daffodils taken recently at The New York Botanical Garden.

A big thanks to The Occasional Gardener for his blog and posting the video of the daffodils.

First Line of Daffodils in Ann Arbor, Michigan

2008-04-27T01:22:00.009-04:00

Marching in a line, originally uploaded by baklein62.

University of Michigan's Nichols Arboretum has daffodils coming up in the Main Valley, and when all are in bloom, the official count will be a half-mile long line of 20,000.

Here's another image by baklein62 from the same series.

These images were taken on April 25, 2008.

You can learn more about this dynamic art project at the Imagine/Align website. Be sure to watch the video showing the planting of this daffodils line at the start of the project.

First Daffodils at Chicago Botanic Garden

2008-04-27T01:01:00.005-04:00

Bird Island (speckled with Daffs), originally uploaded by The County Clerk.

Looks like Spring has arrived in Chicago. It's a beautiful thing. This photo was taken on April 26, 2008, at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Click here for the original high-resolution photo where you can readily see the daffodils on Bird Island in the distance.

First Ladybug in Skagit Valley, Washington

2008-04-27T00:44:00.003-04:00

One of our favorite photos of the season. The ladybug looks "real" on the screen, complete with sheen. This close-up was taken in Skagit Valley on April 12, 2008, by photographer BratoDB.

Fountain Daffodils on Mainau Island, Germany

2008-04-27T00:19:00.003-04:00

Wonderful! We've never seen anything quite like this fountain on Mainau Island in Germany.

We want to find an 80-degree day and sit half-way up the stairs. Fountain image was taken on March 22, 2008 by photographer the aliens.

Blaise Daffodils in Bristol UK

2008-04-27T00:09:00.003-04:00

People in glass houses., originally uploaded by *Hairbear.

This innovative photograph was taken on April 4, 2008, at the Blaise Castle Estate in Bristol UK.

Afternoon reflections in Gig Harbor, Washington

2008-04-25T01:33:00.004-04:00

Afternoon reflections, originally uploaded by 1bluecanoe.

This cheerful image was taken in Gig Harbor, Washington, on April 2, 2008. You can see more of 1bluecanoe's images on Darckr, a nifty Flickr viewer.

First Reflections in Essex, England

2008-04-24T23:57:00.003-04:00

Reflections in a mirrored candlebox, originally uploaded by Lubybel.

We've never seen a photograph quite as captivating and wrote to the photographer inquiring about the image. Here are the interesting details Lubybel shares with us (image taken on April 2, 2008):

The daffodils were picked that morning from my own garden in Essex England and placed in a vase on a coffee table. I was sitting by the fireplace when I spotted the reflection in a mirrored candlebox placed on the mantelpiece. My canon G9 refused to take the shot on automatic focus so I selected manual. The bevel edged candlebox measures 1inch deep by 3 inches wide. The cultivar name of the daffodils being 'Early Flame'.

Daffodils on Loch Carron, Scotland

2008-04-23T20:59:00.003-04:00

Yellow is a popular colour this season!, originally uploaded by fastbird61.

Another calm daffodils and H20 photograph with a boat bonus - we could stare at this photo all day. Image taken on April 23, 2008 on the shores of Loch Carron, Scotland.

New Daffodils in Lisse, The Netherlands

2008-04-23T01:29:00.003-04:00

Coming soon..., originally uploaded by driek.

This photo, taken in Lisse on April 12, 2008, could also be named "Great Expectations".

Things Go Better With Daffodils in Purchase, New York

2008-04-21T22:05:00.004-04:00

The Perfect Spot, originally uploaded by floralgal.

Yes, we know, it's Coca-Cola's slogan, but it works so well with this beautiful April 19, 2008 image. With corporate landscapes like this, we would think Pepsi is #1.

First Daffodils in North Yorkshire, UK

2008-04-21T01:49:00.002-04:00

12447 - Helmsley, originally uploaded by M R Fletcher.

It's difficult to pass up a "daffodils and water" photograph. Here's a case in point. This image was taken on April 19, 2008.

First Daffodils in Charlestown, Rhode Island

2008-04-19T22:39:00.006-04:00

Fun windchimes in April, originally uploaded by melisdramatic.

Writing this blog has many of its own rewards, such as discovering a place called The Fantastic Umbrella Factory, located on a small farm in Charlestown, Rhode Island. This whimsical image was taken on April 19, 2008.

More Skagit Daffodils

2008-04-19T00:24:00.005-04:00

Skagit Daffodils, originally uploaded by wendyb1214.

We haven't posted a Skagit image for awhile, though we see breathtaking photographs routinely. This breathtaking photograph was taken on April 18, 2008, proving that the daffodils still rule in the middle of the Tulip Festival.

Click here for a high-resolution image.

First Daffodils in Bolingbrook, Illinois

2008-04-19T00:06:00.007-04:00

Springtime Fighting, originally uploaded by chorwedel.

We love the choreography in this image of "Two daffodils fighting for spring to arrive" (photographer's description). These Midwesterners live in Chad's yard in Bolingbrook, Illinois.

The image was taken on March 22, 2008, and we figured things have changed a lot in the past month. So we wrote to the photographer to see whazzup with the snow and the blooms. Chad reports: "The snow is all melted and the daffodils are in full bloom. Looks like one poor guy didn't make it with a bloom, but all of the rest are doing just fine."

Oh Noooooooo! in Northern New Mexico

2008-04-17T21:51:00.004-04:00

Smiling Throughout -, originally uploaded by Lochaven.

A wild snowy daffodils action shot! We would've bet we'd seen the last daffodil and snow photo for 2008, but here we have a cold one in Northern New Mexico for April 17. We love Lochaven's title for this image: "Smiling Throughout".

First Daffodils in East Lansing, Michigan

2008-04-17T21:40:00.001-04:00

, originally uploaded by H. Mal.

H. Mal says it for all of us: Happiness. Things are growing, spring is coming. This image was taken on April 17, 2008.

First Daffodils in Woodburn, Oregon

2008-04-16T22:39:00.004-04:00

fenced in, originally uploaded by jahat.

We really, really like this photo. It's a bit unsettling (in a great, artistic way). Fenced-in drama in Woodburn, Oregon on April 16, 2008.

We could have danced all night in Washington, D.C.

2008-04-16T00:22:00.001-04:00

We are mesmerized by this photograph titled "Spring Dance". The garden magic occurred in tuanh's backyard in a suburb of Washington, D.C. on March 25, 2008.

Daffodil Festival Resource Website

2008-04-15T23:57:00.006-04:00

The daffodil season has arrived and gone in much of the U.S., but we're still looking forward to our daffodils here in New England (we've seen reports of daffodils on Cape Cod and in western Massachusetts, and we have seen an early daffodil or two along the streets of Cambridge).

Want to know the dates for your favorite daffodil festival and field? We invite you to visit our resource website (daffodilfestivals.com) which lists every North American daffodil festival, garden, and field that we know about.

Next year, we hope to expand the listing to daffodil festivals around the world.

First Daffodils at Wellesley College Botanic Gardens

2008-04-15T22:47:00.005-04:00

tulips, daffodils and hyacinth, originally uploaded by lollopins.

Wellesley College blossoms, smart and competent as the day is new. This image was taken on March 2, 2008, at the Wellesley College Botanic Gardens in Wellesley, Massachusetts, 6-8 weeks before these bloom in the wild.

Big Daffodils at NC State University

2008-04-15T01:45:00.003-04:00

, originally uploaded by southpaw20.

We're not sure what they are feeding these daffodils at JC Raulston Arboretum, NC State University - but we know we're not going to be messing with 'em. This image was taken on March 25, 2008.

Great Blue Heron & Daffodils in British Columbia

2008-04-15T00:57:00.005-04:00

Grey and Yellow, originally uploaded by leftCoast Imaging.

This beautiful bird seems intently interested in these daffodils. Maybe there's a bug on one of the blossoms. This image was taken by leftCoast Imaging in Delta, British Columbia, on April 6, 2008. More great blue heron photos here on flickr.